Lakers bomb Byron, head to regional finals

Published 10:26 am, Monday, April 25, 2016

SAGINAW  Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port is right where it wants to be. In fact, the Lakers are right where they expected to be.

By MIKE BOGAN

SAGINAW  Elkton-Pigeon-Bay Port is right where it wants to be.

In fact, the Lakers are right where they expected to be.

The Greater Thumb Conference and district girls soccer champions continued their quest toward the ultimate goal here Tuesday afternoon in this Division 4 regional semifinal against Byron. EPBP received two goals apiece from Megan Jobes, Stephanie Maxwell and Erin Gettel en route to a convincing 8-0 mercy-rule victory against the overmatched Eagles.

The Lakers, now 18-2 overall, will take on 14-4-2 Saginaw Valley Lutheran in Friday's regional title game. The Chargers advanced with a 1-0 win over Auburn Hills Oakland Christian in Tuesday's other semifinal.

Game time Friday is 6:30 p.m. at Valley Lutheran.

Here Tuesday, the Lakers continued their post-season dominance. EPBP has now outscored its opponents 19-0 in three tournament games  and this one was the easiest of them all.

The Lakers flexed their muscles from the start, hitting the post with a shot less than a minute into the game.

It snowballed from there.

The Lakers led 5-0 at the break  and it could have been more. Byron goalie Jordan Stewart actually made several outstanding saves in the opening half, frustrating EPBP big guns Kaycee Damm and Amanda Dubey early on.

The Lakers, though, got a pair of first-half goals from Maxwell and Gettel, as well as one  finally  from Damm on an assist from Dubey.

And the rout was on.

"Sometimes you have those nights where you just can't put it past them with your regular forwards," said EPBP coach Mark Weidman, referring to the constant first-half pressure from Damm and Dubey. "At that point, somebody else has to step up, get some rebounds and score.

"Those outside midfielders work so hard, but sometimes they don't have much to show for it. Tonight, though, was their night. They jumped on a few passes, got a few rebounds… It was good for them.

Dubey finally connected on a shot 4:39 into the second half to make it 6-0.

Jobes then took over, scoring the final two goals for the Lakers, including the mercy-clinching tally with 19:53 left on the clock.

The Lakers simply ran over and around the Byron defenders, using their speed to pound Byron goalie Stewart with shot after shot.

"From what we knew, they played an off-side trap," Weidman explained. "We don't like to play balls over the top like that, but it works against it.

"You have to be awfully good with that trap. If you're not, and you are against a team with some speed like we have, it's going to hurt you."

Tuesday's win was EPBP's first in the regionals since 2003 when the Lakers beat Laingsburg, 3-1. They went on to drop a 2-1 decision to Saginaw Nouvel in the regional final.

EPBP and Valley Lutheran aren't strangers when it comes to competing against each other. Though they didn't play during the regular season, the Lakers and Chargers did scrimmage back in March.

"But we've played them for a lot of years," Weidman said. "We know they have a very good program."

Friday, the Lakers will be looking for their first regional crown since 2001. That year, they beat Nouvel (2-1) in the regional finals before losing to eventual state champion Clawson (5-0) in the state semifinals.

"You always hope and always dream about what you can do," Weidman said.

"Fortunately, we've stayed pretty healthy and we've played pretty well. We look forward to doing stuff like this and getting to this point."

The regional winner will advance to next Wednesday's state semifinal at Troy Athens to take on the Riverview Gabriel Richard regional winner.